Tony got run over by a reindeer An Avengers Christmas
by Oldiesbutgoldies98
Summary: The Christmas season has come upon the avengers, and Pepper wants Tony to have a big sit down dinner and party with the family on Christmas Day...Which includes the Avengers, Jane, Darcy, Selvig, Coulson, Nick Fury, etc. The problem is, the team is having issues "getting in the spirit." Can this group of bah humbugs have their attitudes turned around by a simple idea of Thor's?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all! So, I am a HUGE avengers/marvel superheroes fan. This idea just sort of hit me, even though it is nowhere close to the Christmas season. :). Just some lighthearted fun. For the most part, each chapter should focus on a specific characters thoughts and interactions and what not. I should specify if it is a dual character chapter. I own none of the characters, powers, shield stuff, etc. Except for a couple of OC characters who will be announced as needed. Happy reading! **

Tony Stark had heard his fair share of ridiculous ideas. Crazy villains with crazy world conquering ideas, horrible office box suggestions from employees at Stark Enterprises, suggestions from the big wigs at SHIELD that were obviously suggested when alcohol had been present, and don't even get him started on those five hour board meetings that usually ended up with him playing Flappy Bird on his StarkPad. Yes, he had dealt with it all. But this idea definitely took the cake.

"You want me to do what?!" He asked his fiancé, Pepper Potts, incredulously. Pepper looked at him calmly, obviously expecting this reaction. "I want us to have a family christmas. Like spending the whole day together. Opening presents, listening to christmas tunes, playing games, and having a big christmas dinner, the works." She said, giving him a pleading look. Tony started laughing. "Pep, you're funny. As far as gags go, this one definitely takes the prize," he chortled, hoping beyond hope she was kidding.

When he saw that she was not, he ran his hands through his hair in disbelief. "Pep, I'm sorry. But this is crazy. As you may have noticed, your parents aren't exactly fond of me, and mine aren't around," he said tiredly. "I wasn't talking about Mom and Dad," she answered, raising one eyebrow. When the realization dawned on Tony, he gripped the countertop dramatically in shock. "You don't mean...? Pep, are you feeling okay?" He asked worriedly, putting his had on her forehead. Pepper sighed and pushed him away. "I'm just fine Tony. You know as well as I do that the Avengers are family now. Heck, they live here! I don't see why you're finding this difficult," she demanded. "Listen, the avengers aren't... Christmasy people Pep, and neither am I!" Tony tried, desperately, looking for a way out.

Pepper shot him her famous death glare. "Tony, I don't ask you for much. I know you love me, but I also know you need your freedom to build and be alone. I didn't ask for a glamorous wedding, I know it would make you uncomfortable. I haven't ever asked you to participate in any other holiday festivity... But I need you to do this for me. I want our irate real christmas together to be like the ones I had as a kid. Christmas was always important to me. And I promise you I will never ask you to do this again. This is ALL I ask," she pleaded, almost in tears. Tony felt guilty, but he still had no desire to give in. "Pep..." He started, but when he saw her eyes, he just leaned against the counter in exasperation and threw up his hands. "Alright, fine! Who do you want to participate in this thing?" He grumbled.

Pepper grinned and clapped her hands excitedly. Then, she pulled out her StarkPhone and went into CEO mode. "Well, there would of course be the Avengers and their significant others, Nick Fury, Phil and Maria Hill-Coulson, Darcy, Erik Selvig, Reed and Sue Richards, Johny Storm, and Logan..." she listed, ignoring her fiancé's ever dropping jaw. "Woah, woah Pep! Just because I agreed to it does NOT mean anyone else will. MUCH less the people on your list. I say it just be you and me," Tony begged, trying to make Pepper see reason. Pepper put her hands on her hips. "And WHY not?"

Tony took a deep breath and began. "Well, let's start with the Avengers shall we? Captain Rogers might be the only one to go along with this craziness, but considering his...old fashioned upbringing, we don't know exactly how he celebrated christmas, being a poor kid from Brooklyn and all. Then, there's Bruce. I happen to know for a fact he could care less about Christmas. As for the other guy, I have a funny feeling being stuck with "family" for too long might give him a dangerous stress level. Hell, I would hulk out if I could. Clint Barton probably never celebrated Christmas ever, and Natasha isn't exactly a warm and fuzzy, sit by the fireside type of person. I mean, come on. Two super assassins writing to Santa, really? And Thor is a god. He doesn't even know what Christmas is! As for Darcy and Selvig, well, Selvig is just socially awkward, and Darcy is an atheist, like me. Agents Coulson and Hill both don't smile, ever. And Fury is incapable of human emotions, such as joy and happiness. Johnny is annoying and I can only stand him for so long, and Sue and Reed are more sciencey than me even, and besides, Reed has told me countless times christmas means nothing to them. And Logan, seriously? Logan isn't a happy person, period. It seems like you've picked the biggest bunch of downers possible," he finished, finally taking a breath.

Again, facing Pepper's glare, Tony gave up. "Alright fine. What do you need me to do?" He asked. Pepper smiled and winked at him. "Don't worry Tony, I'll handle them. You just need to support me, run a couple of errands, and pretend to be happy about it," she told him pointedly, causing him to grumble something unintelligible. "Alright, done. I hope you're happy," Tony pouted. Pepper's eyes sparkled, and she threw her arms around a somewhat annoyed Tony. "Thank you Tony. You don't know what this means to me. I love you so much right now," she whispered. "As apposed to when you don't love me?" Tony smirked. Pepper smacked him in the arm. "Way to ruin the moment," she teased. After pulling her in for a kiss, he gave her a serious look. "Pep? How are you going to convince the others?" He asked. Pepper smirked at him and gave him a rather evil look. "Tony honey. I'm CEO of one of the biggest enterprises in the world. Persuasion is my line of work. If I can take on power hungry buildings tycoons who have a dollar bill where their hearts should be, I don't think anyone here stands a chance." With that, she turned on her heel and made a beeline towards Steve's room, leaving Tony flabbergasted. After shaking his head to clear it, he started to laugh. "God help us all," he muttered, and promptly fixed himself a drink.

**So what do you think? Will Pepper succeed with Steve? Will Tony man up or give up? And what are the others going to do? Please review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all! So this will be Steve's "reaction" muah ha ha! (You'll get it in a minute). I'm trying to gage all of the "guests" reactions before getting to shenanigans, so bear with me. (Of course there have to be a few mixed in) :). Thor, Jane, and Darcy will be involved in this chapter as well.**

Captain Steve Rogers was in the middle of his morning workout routine, when a giddy Pepper Potts burst through his door. "Steve! Steve! You're a genius!" Pepper kept shouting, nearly tackling the soldier in a hug. Steve laughed and hugged her back, knowing exactly what this was about. "I know that Ms. Potts," he said teasingly. Then he straightened up and sat in a little chair by his nightstand. "So how did it go down?" He asked, curious how Pepper Potts convinced the great Tony Stark to have a family Christmas. "Well, it wasn't easy," Pepper began. "At first his reaction was what we expected, he wanted none of it. Then, I used the old guilt trip method, which penetrated his thick skull. So when he agreed to do it, I gave him the guest list. I swear Steve, he almost had a heart attack. He gave me this well thought out argument on why no one else would be on board for Christmas. So I of course reminded him of my superior methods of persuasion, and that sealed it. When I was on the way to "go ask" you, I heard him open up the liquor cabinet, which means he's resigned himself to his fate," she finished, noticing Steve's growing grin.

"Only you Pepper, only you," he said in amazement. "How you ever got him wrapped around your finger is one of the great mysteries in life," he said jokingly. Pepper took an elaborate bow. "Well, dealing with difficult people IS part of my job. And I suppose I do have a slight advantage, considering I'll be marrying him in a couple of months," she sad sarcastically. Steve laughed and nodded his head. With a childlike grin, he looked at Pepper. "Jee whiz Pepper, I'm so excited. It's been forever since I've had a real Christmas. They were some of my best memories from...from my past," he said softly, staring into space. Pepper smiled as well, nodding enthusiastically. "Me too. God, it's been so long," she said.

Steve sighed, breaking out of his stupor slightly. When he had come across a down in the dumps Pepper a couple of weeks back, he figured he had better do something about it. His first reaction was to find Tony to cheer her up, but then he noticed a small picture in her hand. After asking to see it, he saw a young Pepper standing by a Christmas tree, a carefree grin on her face. Seeing that picture brought back all the old Christmas fuzzies for Steve, and they talked for hours about their old favorite Christmas traditions. Finally, Steve had the brilliant idea of suggesting a family Christmas, with all of the avengers, and some other good friends. Pepper was all for it, and soon they were planning the guest list and all the great activities that could bring the family together. Of course, convincing Tony was the most difficult part of the operation, with the exception of convincing Nick Fury as well. So, Steve had left that to Pepper, and so far, Operation Craving Christmas was a go.

Steve got up and grabbed paper and a pen, and started to write down the names of those who would be attending. "So, how should we go about doing this? I can't make you go and convince every single person to come, and plan the whole thing. How about I ask half, and you ask half?" Steve asked, getting down to business. Pepper nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Thanks Steve, that will be a big help," she said, before going in to business mode herself. "So who do you think will give us a challenge?" Steve asked, eyeing a couple of names on the guest list warily. Pepper shrugged, and glanced back down at the list. "I can think of a couple, but none of them could be as bad as Tony... With the exception of Nick Fury," she added hastily. Steve nodded, but pointed to a couple of names on the list. "I agree Director Fury will be trouble, but I also think Dr. Richards and Sue Richards will be a challenge, along with Dr. Selvig, Agent Coulson, and Agent Hill-Coulson," he added.

Pepper laughed and shook her head. "I can convince Sue, and she'll get Reed on board as well. Erik Selvig will come along if Darcy and Jane come on board, which I'm sure they will. As for the Coulsons, the Phil I know will be ecstatic over the idea, and Maria will go along with whatever her husband decides, so I wouldn't be too worried," Pepper said reassuringly. "But if you'd like, I can take them," she said gently. Steve nodded in gratitude. It wasn't that his persuasive abilities weren't up to par, it was just that he knew Pepper could handle them without breaking a sweat. "Thanks," he said, somewhat sheepishly. Pepper frowned as she eyed two names on the guest list. "The two that concern me are Agents Romanoff and Barton," she said. This time it was Steve's turn to grin. "Trust me, I can get Natasha to go along with it, and Barton will be in if she does it, and if there will be food," he said teasingly.

Pepper nodded, and divided the list in half. "Okay then, done deal. So far, I have Fury, Reed and Sue, Selvig, and Phil and Maria. You've got Romanoff and Barton. That leaves Thor, Bruce, Jane, Darcy, Johnny Storm, and Logan," she listed. "I'll take Thor, Bruce, Jane, Darcy, and Johnny," Steve interrupted. Pepper gave him a mock stern look. "Take all the easy ones for yourself would you?" She joked. Steve grinned and shrugged. "Which leaves you with Logan. This will be a great exercise on your powers of persuasion," he added cockily. Pepper laughed and recorded her half of the list on her StarkPhone. "Alright Captain Smarty Pants, when we are done with this, you're coming to the store with me to pick out decorations, food, and presents," she said bossily. Steve stood up straight and saluted her. "Yes Ma'am!" He shouted. Pepper smacked him in the arm, and made her exit.

Steve made his way to the rec room, where Jane was trying to teach Thor how to play pool. The Asgardian and the astrophysicist had been married for four months now, and were expecting their first child in a few months. "Heads up!" A voice yelled as Steve entered the room. Steve ducked just in time to avoid a pool ball that was flying at his head. "You alright Steve?" Asked an exasperated Jane from behind a chair. "Fine," Steve called back after making sure his head was still intact. "My apologies Master Steve! I cannot seem to grasp the concept of this... Jumping of the cue ball that Jane has been speaking of," Thor bellowed out, gesturing to pool table jovially. "You're teaching him how to jump it?" Steve asked incredulously. Jane held up her hands. "He's gotten pretty good! But I will admit, not the brightest of ideas," she added, pointing to a broken mirror, a dented coffee machine, and a litter of broken pool cues on the floor.

Steve fought the urge to laugh. In truth, Thor was catching on quickly to the ways of the world, and pretty soon, they would have a perfectly acceptable New Yorker on their hands...well, almost anyways. "Hey, get behind here!" A voice called out from behind an overturned table. Steve peered over the edge to see a traumatized Darcy cowered in a corner. Just seeing her made Steve blush a little bit, but he quickly concealed it and gave her a small grin. "What happened?" He asked. "He almost took my head off with a pool cue earlier. He thought we were going to play baseball," Darcy muttered, pulling out her beloved I-Pod with shaky hands. Steve laughed and helped her out from behind the table. "Well I'm glad it's still there," Steve said, somewhat shyly. Darcy smiled and patted his shoulder. "Me too Cap," she said teasingly.

Steve looked over at Jane, who had a small smile on her face. "Could I speak to you and Darcy for a minute?" Steve asked. Jane nodded, and turned to her husband. "Thor honey? Why don't you go grab a couple of pop tarts and take a break?" Jane said sweetly. Thor nodded, kissed the top of her head, and made his way out, whistling some old Asgardian tune. "Hey, I'll be right in. Need to go grab a cup of coffee, and the machine in here is... Out of order," Darcy said before taking her leave as well. Steve sat down in one of the chairs, as did Jane. "So what was that about?" Jane asked him. "What was what?" Steve replied innocently. Jane's smile grew wider. "Come on! You were totally flirting with her Cap! In your sweet, shy, slightly dumb way," she added. Steve glared at her. Then, realizing how ridiculous he had sounded, he started to laugh. "Yeah, I guess flirting isn't exactly my strong point. I haven't really had much practice. But if you haven't guessed, I do like Darcy... A lot," he said quietly, as his cheeks burned tomato red with embarrassment. "Sweetie, I think that's great. I have a hunch that Darcy might be hiding some feelings too. And you never know, all it might take is some Christmas magic," Jane said, quickly ending the conversation as Darcy waltzed in, cup of coffee in hand.

"So what's up? You sounded like there was business to attend to," Darcy said, sipping her coffee. "As a matter of fact, there kind of is. How much have you told Thor about Christmas?" Steve asked. "I would consider him to be up to par on this subject. He was fascinated by the reindeer, and it kind of took off from there," Jane said lovingly, knowing what a kid Thor was at heart. "Perfect," Steve said with relief. "How would you guys like to have a big family Christmas? I know you're an atheist Darcy... But you don't have to believe in God to enjoy Christmas. It's about being with family, having fun, spreading joy to other people..." Steve said, before being cut off by an excited Jane.

"Oh my God Steve! That would be amazing! I know Thor will love the idea, and of course there are still some things we haven't covered, but for the most part he'll be able to catch on, and will really feel included on this one," Jane squealed. Darcy looked at Steve, who seemed to be looking anywhere but at her. "I'm in. But how did you convince Stark? I seriously doubt that he was doing the Christmas Waltz when you asked him," Darcy said, her eyebrows raised. "Well, Pepper and I concocted this whole thing, so she's handling Tony and some of our more... difficult guests. But she managed to get him on board, so it's a start," Steve answered. "Is there anything you need us to do?" Jane asked. "Actually, do you think you could give Dr. Selvig a call? Warn him that Pepper's coming for him? I know he isn't too keen on being around tons of people, and I know he feels exceptionally guilty about the whole Loki thing, but it wasn't his fault and we're all past that now," Steve said cautiously. Jane nodded, and said softly, "Thanks Steve. I've been worried about him, but this might be the boost he needs."

"Jane! Lady Darcy! Master Steve! I am truly sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. Is it true? Man of Iron agreed to have a family Christmas?" Thor boomed gleefully, box of Pop Tarts in hand. Steve looked up at Thor in amusement. "That's right Thor. And Jane here was just saying how she would love to come, and Darcy too," Steve answered. Thor slapped him on the back and shouted, "Then I would love to attend. I have become quite adept at understanding the Christmas season, but I must ask you... Will you play the lovely little tune of 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?' I have become quite fond of the cute little beasts," Thor asked. Steve laughed and stood up. "Of course Thor," he said. He looked at Jane. "So you three are in?" He asked. They all nodded. "Great! Just talk to me or Pepper if you have any questions, comments, or ideas," Steve finished. As he walked out of the room, he heard Thor say, "Alright! Let us get back to pool!" And then the distinct sound of Darcy muttering that she'll need an aspirin. Steve laughed as he checked off three names on the list. "Three down, four more to go," Steve muttered. "Now for the big guy."

**So what do you think? I figured Pepper, as amazing as she is, would need an accomplice, as Steve seemed the most likely candidate. And as for Steve and Darcy, well, I just like the idea of them together. Next chapter to be up soon. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey all! So, I figured I would give you guys a heads up on some format changes. Just like the last chapter, this will be from a specific characters point of view, with of course other interactions and etc. The italics (at any given point in the chapters, though generally at the beginning) will be a location, considering the different places Steve and Pepper have to go for their invites. If at any point there is a string of dots in the middle of the page that separate two paragraphs, that means that the point of view has changed to a different character. (In a standard writing procedure, it actually means that the next paragraph takes place later, or simultaneously to the one before it, but it also is acceptable in changing points of view as well). No big deal, you all would have caught on, just felt it would be easier with a heads up. Enjoy!**

_Baxter Building, New York City_

Dr. Reed Richards stared at the intimidating woman in front of him, trying to comprehend what she had just told him. He wasn't very good around women in general, but he looked even more like a bumbling high school idiot when he found himself in the presence of a woman who scared him. And this woman DEFINITELY scared him. Reed looked over at his wife, who had this ridiculous grin on her face, and was jabbering like a teenager with said woman before him. "Wait...WAIT!" Reed shouted, causing both the women to stare at him like he'd grown a third head. "Hon, we need to talk about this. You know that Christmas isn't..." Reed started, trying to make his wife see some sense. "There's nothing to talk about Reed," Sue Richards answered sweetly, while shooting her husband a death glare.

Reed turned his attention back to the other woman. "Pepper, I'm flattered, really. But Christmas isn't really my thing, and I know it isn't Tony's either," he answered calmly, though he was trying not to scream. Pepper shot him down with a look that was generally reserved for an insubordinate board member. "Well, in that case you'll both be learning to adapt," she said smugly, prompting a laugh from Sue. Reed rubbed his face in frustration. Him and Tony had always gotten along fine. Tony had given him a little extra cash when he had been down on his luck, and the two had really bonded over the whole misunderstood genius thing. By default, him and Sue (both in the dating days and after) had become quite close with Ms. Pepper Potts as well, and now Sue and Pepper were like sisters. Really scary, powerful, husband/fiancé torturing sisters. And now Reed was having to deal with both of them.

"Sorry Reed, you don't stand a chance," a gruff voice chimed out from another room. "Thanks Ben!" Sue shouted back. Reed mentally cursed his best friend, and figured he had better have a conversation about loyalty sometime in the future. "You're invited too Ben!" Reed shouted desperately, trying to get his friend stuck as well. Ben Grimm poked his head from around the corner. "Sorry guys. I'm spending Christmas with Alicia's family this year. Looks like you're on your own pal," he added smugly. "Shouldn't take much longer Pepper!" Ben shouted as he disappeared down the hall. Reed cursed and stretched his head over to his desk, banging his head against it dramatically. "Thanks Ben!" Pepper laughed, before noticing Reed's humorous temper tantrum. Sue rolled her eyes. "When your done being five dear, I believe you have an invitation to respond to," she called over to him.

Sighing, Reed dragged his head back to the two women. "Who else has said yes?" He asked, wondering who else had become sucker to this scheme. "Well, I just heard from Steve, and so far it's me, Tony, Steve, Jane Foster, Darcy, and Thor," Pepper listed off. "But you guys are the only ones we've asked so far besides them, so we are 100% as of now," she added. Reed grimaced and mentally checked off a people related excuse. Reed looked at both the eager women with a look that was akin to a kicked puppy. "Pepper, you know I don't like social situations. And while I consider the Avengers as family, I would prefer not to spend my Christmas having Fury eyeing me up like a lab rat. Also, I'm just not... A Christmasy type of guy. I have a lot of work to do, and I few projects I have to finish up, so I just don't see where I'll have the time," he pleaded, knowing full well it wasn't going to work.

"I need to talk to you," Sue said before shoving him out in the hall. Reed caught the wink Sue sent at Pepper and slumped against the wall. Yep, he was doomed, no pun intended. Sue parked herself right in front of him and looked him square in the eye. "Okay spill. I know you've never liked holidays much, but every time Christmas is mentioned you get all uncomfortable. I know something's up," she demanded. Reed fidgeted, and wished for a moment he had his wife's ability to disappear. But he decided she had a right to know. "I don't want to be made fun of," he said quickly. Sue shot him a confused expression. Reed sighed and began to talk quickly. "When I was a kid, my parents didn't really care all that much about me. Dad was always off doing his own thing, while mom was always working, trying to get the money back that my dad gambled off. So, we never celebrated Christmas. But the abnormal part of it was that they treated it like it didn't exist... And they never told me about it," he finished, waiting for her to connect the dots. Sue's eyes went wide. "So you're saying..." She started. Reed nodded his head grimly. "Yep. When it comes to Christmas, Thor probably knows more than me," he said softly.

Sue looked up at him with misty eyes. "Didn't you ever talk with the other kids about it at school? Or ask someone else what the decorated trees were for?" She asked him. Reed shook his head. "I really wasn't around other kids. They had to pull a professor at a university to teach me. I just thought the trees and the presents and such were a shopping sale that came around that time of year. The first time I heard about Christmas was when I was 23. By then I figured if I had lived this long without it, why bother bring it up?" He added wryly. Sue hugged her husband tightly. "Hey, it's no big deal. There are worse things than being deprived of Christmas," Reed tried to joke. "Actually Reed, that's pretty bad. Not celebrating is one thing, but not knowing it even existed... If I ever meet your father he's going to regret every moment he spent screwing up your childhood. Christmas isn't just important to a certain religion. It's about love, joy, being with family and friends, celebrating the good times, being at peace, and forgetting all the world's troubles for a little while. It's where you can be a kid again, even if it's just for a day. Christmas is more than just a holiday Reed, it's a reminder to all of us what really matters," Sue said, both with anger and wistfulness in her voice. Reed looked at his wife with love in his eyes. "And you think this will teach me?" He asked gently. Sue smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, I think so. Christmas with the Avengers will be far from perfect, but it will be family," she answered firmly. Reed sighed again, knowing that she had won. "Alright. I guess I'm in. But I'm not buying Nick Fury a present," he muttered. Sue squealed and kissed him. Before going back to tell Pepper, she smirked at Reed and asked, "I thought you knew nothing about Christmas?" Reed blushed, but laughed all the same. "I guess I picked that one up somewhere along the way," he answered.

"Alright Pepper, you got me. Count me and Sue in," Reed sighed as he walked through the door. He was nearly knocked backwards in a hug from both his wife and the excited CEO. "Thank you Reed! Oh I'm so happy you're coming! This is going to be so much fun!" Pepper clapped her hands excitedly. "At least I have someone to commiserate with," Reed muttered, thinking of Tony. "What was that?" Pepper asked, apparently hearing him. "Nothing," Reed answered innocently. Pepper turned to make her exit. "I've got to go, but if you guys need anything, let me know," Pepper told Sue. Reed started to give her a hug goodbye, but one question kept repeating over and over in his head. "How?" He finally blurted out. Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" She asked innocently. Reed glared at her. "Don't play games with me Pepper. How did you convince him?" Reed asked again, knowing she knew exactly who he was talking about. Pepper smiled evilly. "First rule of the trade Dr. Richards. Never reveal your methods." And with that, she marched out the door, leaving Reed to keep his over active brain from exploding with conclusions.

"While she is our friend, that woman still gives me anxiety attacks," he muttered, turning back to his wife. Sue smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes darling, but don't you see how effective she is? I don't know, I think I might borrow some of her...methods," she whispered into his ear softly before disappearing (literally) and walking out of the room, leaving Reed to pick up his jaw off the floor (also literally). Reed shook his head to clear it. Yep, he was definitely doomed. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed a number dazedly. "Hey Stark? Yeah it's Reed. Yes, she's been here. Yes, she got me. Speaking of which, are you home right now? I could really use a drink..." He muttered before staggering out of the room.

...

Pepper picked up her phone and called Steve. She was excited over her success, but it really hadn't been that hard, it was mostly Sue's doing. Pepper smiled at the thought of her friend, and looked fondly towards the Baxter Building once more. "Hello?" She heard from the other end of the phone. "Steve, it's Pepper. I got Reed and Sue on board," she said quickly. She heard Steve laugh on the other end. "What?" She asked quizzically. "It just explains a phone conversation I overheard Tony on a couple minutes ago. Reed is coming over for a drink," he said with mirth. Pepper laughed as well, shaking her head over the like minded men her and Sue had fallen for. "Any progress since Thor?" Pepper asked, slipping into business mode. "Yeah, check your phone when you're done with me. Jane just sent you Dr. Selvig's contact information. Turns out, he lives a few blocks down from the Baxter Building. Wanted to be close to SHIELD just in case he slips," Steve said grimly. Pepper nodded, her heart aching for the older man. "Alright, I'll head over there next" she said. "As for me, it's time for the bug guy," Steve said jokingly. Pepper laughed as she hopped into her car. "Be nice Steve," she told him, pretending to scold. Steve laughed on the other end. "With all do respect Ma'am, when am I not nice?" He said cheekily, and hung up the phone. Pepper smiled as she pulled up Selvig's contact information. Then, preparing for the job at hand, she went back into CEO mode and started driving. "Hello, Dr. Selvig? It's Pepper Potts. I'm on my way now," she said coolly into her phone, as she made her way to her next target.

**Well that's that. How will the meeting with Selvig go? Read more to find out! For all of you who do not follow the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards is Mr. Fantastic, Sue Richards (aka Sue Storm) is the Invisible Woman, Ben Grimm is The Thing, and though he wasn't mentioned in this chapter, Johnny Storm is The Human Torch. And yes, I know Reed's "problem" was a truly strange one, but I had to make him at least a little argumentative. Please review! Next chapter to be up soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey all! Sorry for such a delay, life gets in the way sometimes. As I've mentioned before, the dots in the middle of two paragraphs mean a change in character. Happy reading!**

Stark Tower (Avengers HQ)

Bruce Banner looked up from his work in slight annoyance. He was in the middle of a rather intriguing experiment, and wanted to finish it before lunch. "Can I help you Steve?" He asked, rather briskly. Steve sat down in one of the chairs, eyeing the beakers and chemicals on the table warily. "Sorry to interrupt you Dr. Banner, looks like I caught you at a bad time," Steve said sheepishly.

Bruce sighed and sat down opposite of Steve. He had always liked the Captain. He was quiet and polite, a born leader. He was also a calming presence when Bruce turned into... The Other Guy. Bruce smiled and gestured to Steve, permitting him to continue. "Well Bruce, as you know Christmastime is upon us," Steve started, trying to gage a reaction from the scientist. Bruce nodded, his expression unreadable. Steve sighed and plodded on. "Well, Ms. Potts and I concocted this scheme in which we got all the Avengers, some of our favorite SHEILD agents, and a few other mutual friends to participate in a family Christmas. So far, we have everyone we've asked on board; me, Pepper, Tony, Jane, Darcy, Thor, Reed Richards and Sue Richards. I know Christmas may not be your cup of tea exactly, for most everyone participating it isn't, but I was really hoping you'd participate. It's a great time for a break Bruce, and I think it will help the team to become a little closer. So, what do you think?" Steve finished, rather impressed with his own speech.

Bruce's expression didn't change for a moment, but then he broke into a huge grin. "You got TONY on board?" He asked, trying not to laugh. Steve grinned wickedly. "Actually, I left that one to Pepper. She has to deal with Director Fury and Logan as well," he said. Bruce laughed, shaking his head at the wonder that was Pepper Potts. "God bless her, Tony doesn't know what's coming to him," he thought, knowing that his friend couldn't have picked a more formidable fiancé. "She's good for him," Steve added, thinking fondly on his two friend's relationship. Bruce nodded, a small smile remaining on his face. "Well Steve, I think it's a great idea. I don't really put much stock in celebrating Christmas myself, but I do think it will make us all a little closer. Besides, I could use a break from the lab. But I do have to warn you, the other guy..." Bruce trailed off, eyeing Steve.

Steve placed a comforting hand on Bruce's shoulder. "He will be just as welcome as you. You've gotten a lot more control on him Bruce, he's part of the family too," Steve said, putting the other man's fears at rest. "Well then, I'll be happy to attend," Bruce responded formally. Steve grinned and clapped him on the back. "That's the spirit! Well, I won't take up more of your time. See you later Doctor," Steve called out as he walked out of the lab. Bruce watched him leave with a small smile. "This is going to be interesting..." He muttered to himself, before going back to work.

...,,...

Erik Selvig's house, New York

"Blast it!" Erik Selvig shouted, rubbing his head. The doorbell had startled him, and he had just whacked his head on the open cabinet door. "Dr. Selvig... Is everything okay?" A female voice called out from the other side of the door. "Fine... Everything's fine. Come on in, the door's open," he yelled back, shaking off his annoyance and pain. In stepped Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries... And the scariest woman alive. Erik Selvig had dealt with his fair share of driven, stubborn, and persuasive women... After all, hadn't he been a mentor to Jane Foster? But this woman was something else entirely. The last thing anyone wanted to do was to get on her bad side.

"Good afternoon Ms. Potts, Jane told me you were coming," Erik said cordially, eyeing her person for a weapon. Pepper, seeing Selvig's discomfort, held out her hand in a gesture of peace. "Good afternoon Doctor. There's no need for all the formalities. Any member of Jane's family is a member of mine," she responded. Erik relaxed somewhat, accepting Pepper's words for truth. "Thank you Pepper, I appreciate that. Jane also told me why you were coming as well," he added, unsure of how to proceed. Pepper nodded we head, and looked at him expectedly. "Blast! She wants me to have an answer already," Erik thought. He wasn't necessarily apposed to the idea itself, it was just that he still felt horribly guilty about all that had happened with Loki and the destruction he had helped to cause. Pepper noticed his expression and she softened. "Erik, I know these past few months have been hard for you. I know you blame yourself, but you shouldn't. There was no way you could have resisted Loki's control. Not a single person he touched with that staff was able to resist him, with the exception of Tony," she said. Noticing Erik's quizzical look, Pepper smiled. "Loki placed the staff on his arc reactor. Needless to say, it didn't work," she explained, prompting a small smile from Selvig. "Anyways, I know you're still uncomfortable facing us, but you shouldn't be. We're all on your side. In the end, everything worked out, and certainly no one blames you," she finished softly.

Erik Selvig turned his head away, struggling to maintain composure. His personal demons kept him up at night, telling him it was his fault, that he should've resisted it, that he didn't belong with the heroes. And now, here was one of the heroes herself, telling him not to be afraid, that no one blames him. "How's Agent Barton?" He choked out, trying to change the subject. "He's just fine. He blamed himself for a long while, just like you're doing, but he's accepted that it wasn't in his control, and once he was himself again he saved countless lives," she informed him, hoping to get the point across. Erik nodded, understanding what she was trying to tell him. "You know, he lives with us... In the Avengers tower," Pepper said softly. Erik turned to look at her, surprised. "What are you saying Ms. Potts?" He asked. Pepper sighed and looked up at him, trying to make him understand. "I'm just saying, he is at peace with what happened. I'm not saying it isn't hard to live with, and I can't imagine what you two went through, but he was able to look past the guilt and realize that we are his family, and no one blames him for something that wasn't under his control. He is able to live with us guilt free, because in the end, he saved countless lives once he returned to his normal self again," Pepper finished, smiling kindly at Erik.

Erik smiled back, relief coursing through his body. It was still going to take some time before the guilt would go away completely, but he knew that with the Avengers's help, he'd be able to put the past in its place. "Well, in that case Ms. Potts, I'd be happy to attend. It will be great to see Jane and Darcy," he replied. Pepper broke into a happy grin and leaped up, pulling the shocked doctor into a hug. "Oh Dr. Selvig, that's great!" She squealed, causing Erik to grimace slightly. When she pulled away from him however, she was a little bit more serious. "I think it's only fair that I tell you, Director Fury and the Coulsons will be there," she sighed, watching the doctor's face morph into a frown. "But, you've talked to the Coulsons since everything happened, and you know they don't blame..." She started, before Erik held up a hand. "I know Ms. Potts, it's not them that concern me, it's Director Fury. But... As long as the rest of you are there, i don't see any reason why that would be an issue," he finished, putting Pepper at ease. Pepper smiled again and held out her hand. "Well Dr. Selvig, I'll see you soon then," she said happily. "Looking forward to it Ms. Potts," he replied, showing Pepper the door. As he watched Pepper walk back to her car, he sighed and ran a hand through his thinning hair. "I think I need a drink," he muttered, before sitting back down at his counter.

**Well, that's the next chapter. Again sorry for the long delay. Hopefully the next chapter will be up much sooner. Please review!**


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